Automatic gate



2 she-ets sheen 1.

(Model.)

J. CLARK. AUTOMATIC GATE.

Patented Mar. 9, 1886.

a me ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. PitotuLilhognpler. Wallington. DV C.

(Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' J. CLARK.

AUTOMATIC GATE.

. No. 337,556. Patented-Mar. 9, 1.886.

v lr

ATTORNEYS.

NA PETERS. Phalo-Lilhugnphor, Wnnllingwll. D. il

5o the pair of sill-beams E E, which rest on the against the tension ofits springs J independroo ritten.

Areivr JOHN CLARK, OF GREENVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,556, dated March 9,1886.

(Model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that l, JOHN CLARK, of Greenville, in the county of Plumasand State of California, have invented a new and Improved AutomaticGate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to automatic or self opening and closing gates, andhas for its object to improve their construction and operation, so as tomake them inexpensive, efficient, and durable.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andparticular combinations of parts of the gate, all as hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

Reference is to he had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specitication, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved gate, with parts broken awayand in section. Fig. 2 is aplau view in section on the line l l, Fig. l,with one of the platformspartly removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical transversesectional elevation, partly broken away, and taken on the line 2 2, Fig.l. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken through thegateplatt'orni, and on the line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is alike view takenon the line 4 4, Fig. l; and Figs. G, 7, and S are detail views of theswing-post ofthe gate, with the guidehead which works in the doublecam-groove of thepost shown in three different positions.

rI'he gate proper is made with a vert-ical swing-post, A, next thehinge-post B, and an outer post, A', next the latch-post C, said posts AA being connected by rails (t and braces a', so as to constitute astrong structure adapted to swing with the post A, which has a longaxial pin, a?, at its upper end, said pin a2 passing loosely through theplate B', fixed to the head of hinge-post B, and at its lower end thepost A has a pin or stud, c, which enters a hole in the outer end of alever, D, or in a metal plate or arm fixed to said lever.

The hinge-post B is formed of two side pieces, b l), which are securedto each other at the upper end and diverge toward theirlower ends, wherethey are connected one to each of ground, and between the side pieces bb of post B is secured a plate or board, b', which supports a gate-lock,hereinafter described.

The latch-post C is made of two downwardly-diverging side pieces, c c,connected with each other at the top, and to the sills E E at thebottoni, or in forni, and substantially like the post B, and between thesides c c is secured a plate, c', to which the gate-latch devices,presentlydescribed, are attached. Suitable spacing-blocks, e e, areprovided between the opposite ends of the sills E E, which are securedto these blocks to form a substantial support to the posts B C, and tothe lever mechanism of the gate and tothe sills E E are secured at rightangles the cross bars or beams F F, which for a double gate extendopposite ways from the sills, and with them rest ou the ground and fornipart ofthe foundation or support of the gate and prevent the gate fromtipping over sidewise.

To the outer ends of the beainsF F are fixed the bars G G, which rangeparallel with the gate-one at each side of it-and have fixed to theirupper faces thebarsorstringers G', which are raoloeted at the under sidealong the inner edge to admit the outer ends, il, of the cleats orcross-bars l.',to which thetloors I are secured, said floors Iconstituting platforms, which, by the outer ends, il, of their cleatsI', have a hinging or loose connection with the hars G G, while theinner edges or parts of the opposite platforms, nearly meet directlyunder the closed gate and rest on a system of levers, next described.

The lever D, to which the lower end of the swing-post A isjournaled,asabovementioned, is pivoted at d to and between the sills E E, and on theend of the short arm d of lever D rests the lever H, which is pivoted atL to blocks attached to the sills E E, near the latchpost C. Springs Jare attached at theirouter ends t0 the under sides of the two cleats I',nearest the latch-postC of each platform Land by their free ends rest onthe top of the lever H, to which they may loosely be held by apin-and-slot connection, (see Figs. l and 4,)

and which construction allows the end tof the inner part of eachplatform I to be lowered ently ot' the loweringT of the end part, i',ofl the other platform,and f rparposes presently explained.

To the two cleats I of each platform I, next the swingpost A. are fixedat their one ends straps or plates K, p referably made ofsprung metal`and which project from opposite sides across the opening between the twoplatforms at that end, and keep these ends of the plats forms alwaysabout level at their upper faces. See Figs. 1,2, and 5.)

To a pin, l, parsed through the lever II, are pi votedone at each sideot'said lever and parallcl with it, the levers L L, which are connected,preferably bythe elastic bars or plates L', with the opposite ends of arock-arm, M, which is fixed at its center to a short shaftmz, journaledin a lug,m, and in a bent plate, 'm2, both lng and platem'm'J being`secured to the end of the lever H nearest. the swing post A, and so thata guide-head, N, fixed to the outer end of the shaft in, may enter theupper portion, o, of a double-curved cam slot, O. formed by the oppositediverging grooves, o i', which con verge at the groove part ato andextend downward therefrom and around the swing-post A for aboutone-quarter the circumference of the post. The elastic connection-barsL' exert their tension at opposite ends of the rockarm M, to maintainthe guidehead N, which preferably is pointed at both ends, andnecessarily at the lower end, in the position shown in Fig. 6, oraligned with the part o of the cam Yslot O when no pressure is on theplatforms I; but when the pressure is brought on the platforms (by ahorses fore feet, for instance) a pin, I), fixed in the platform, willbe pressed down onto the short arm of the corresponding lever, Il, whichwill have the et`- feet to throw the other end of the lever upward androck the arm M, so that the pointed lower end of the head N will beturned in the part 0 of the slot O, which end stands normally in t-heplane of the gate, and canse the head N to enter one of the curved partsof the slot O as the gate is lifted by the levers H D, when theplatforms I are carried down by the weight of the horses stepping onthem. The head N always will be turned so as to enter that side orportion o or o2 of slot O next the platform onto which pressure first isexerted to cause the gate always to open from the advancing animals,which are to pass through the gateway, and as hereinafter more fullyexplained.

I forni the cam-slot (l in a metal plate, or between metal plates, fixedto the swingpost to insure increased durability against the t'rictionalcontact of the head N with the side walls of the slot. The three sidedvshape of the bent end bearingplate mA2 on the lever I-I makes itself-bracing against the lateral press ure either way of the shaftm ofhead N as the gate is opened, and short posts H I-I rise from the sillsE at opposite sides ofthe lever II, to

prevent sidewise displacement ofthe lever by the lateral strains inducedby operating the gate.

lThe end portions, z" i', of both of the platforms I are connected bychains or cords R with an open loop or ring. r, fixed tothe outer end ofthe longarm ofan elbow-lever, S, which is pivoted at its angle s to lugson a metal plate fixed to the part c' of the latclrpost C, and the shortarm of the lever Shas a pin or stud, s', which, when either of theplatforms is lowered at i', is moved outward against the angle of thespring-latch Il-to withdraw its end tfrom a slot or opening in acatchplate, T', fixed to the post A of the gate, and prior to theswinging open of the gate by the action ofthe levers under theplatforms.

To the plate or board b' of the hinge-postB is fixed at one end thespring-'metal lock-bar U, which has a bent end portion, u, which passesthrough the board b', and when in normal position extends above a lug,u', tixed to the swing post A, and so as to prevent lifting of said postand the `gate, except when the end u of lock-bar U is drawn back, whichmaybe done by drawing on chains or cords U, which are connected to onearm ot'an elbowlever, V, pivoted to the post-plate b, and having a pinor stud, o, on its other arm, which projects inside ot' the lock-bar atits bend and draws its end part a outward.

For convenience iu operating the lock-bar U the pull chains or cords,after passing over pulleys a at the top of post B, run to pulleys w onthe posts \V \V, set at the side ofthe road at opposite sides of thegate, so that a person on horseback or in a vehicle may draw on thcpull-cords to draw back the lock-bar Vjust as the horse or horses steponto one of the platforms I, and without requiring the person todisinount or to alight from the vehicle.

It will be seen froln'Figs. 1, 4, and 5 that in the normal positionsofthe opposite platforms I their ends i2, to which the plates K areattached, rest on or close to the upper part of the inclined lever H,while the opposite ends of the platforms are held some little distanceabove the fulerumed end ot' said lever by the springs J, so that saidsprings instantly will yield to permit the end parts i' ot' theplatforms to be lowered first by pressure on the platforms.

rI he operation of the gate is as follows: Should the team approach thegate in direction of arrow 1v in 191g. 3, the pressure of their fore`feet on the right-hand platform I will depress the end part- 'i' ofsaid platform against the tension oi' its springs J, and the latchchainIt will be drawn upon to pull back the latch .l, the cord U' having beendrawn upon to draw the end u of loclebar U back from the stud n on postA, to permit the post to rise, and simultaneously with the pulling backof the latch T the pin Ij of the right-hand platform I stri lies the topof the short arm ofthe corresponding lever, L, so its arm L tilts thearm M up at that side to turn the head N from its normal position (shownin Fig. 6) to the po-A sition shown in Fig. 8, and so its lower end willenter the part 0 of cani-slot O, as both the platforms I are fullydepressed, and the descending platforms will lower the lever H and carrythe head N downward into the camslot at o' at the same time that thepressure of lever H on the lever D will lift the swingpost A and thegate as the shalt at of post A slips through the bearing-plate B, andthe action of the head N in the part o' of cam-sl ot O will swing` thegate open from the horses as it rises, or toward the left hand. Vheu theteam approaches the gate from the other side, or in direction ofthearrowy, in Fig. 8, the arm M will be rocked by the pressure of theleft-hand platform by its pin P on the corresponding lever. L, and willcause the head N to be moved as indicated in Fig. 7, so that theheadwill enter the part o'z of the cam-slot O to cause the gate to be swungfrom the horses, or toward the right hand, as the gate is lifted by thelevers H D, as will be readily understood. When the horses and vehiclehave passed through the gateway from either side, the gate will swingshut by its own weight and will automatically be latched by latch T andlock ed by bar U, as above explained, and the head N will pass into thepart o of cani-slot O as the gate settles down and will be held incentral normal position, as in Fig. 6, by the elastic arms L L of'leversL L, until either one of the platforms I is pressed down, as abovedescribed.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction ofthegatelatch devicesherein shown and described, as they may be otherwise arranged so as tocause the gate to unlatch by pressure on the platforms.

I have shown and described the gate as constructed with two platforms,I, one at each side ofthe gate; but it is evident that in manysituations but one platform, I, at one side of the gate may be used, inwhich case the levers L, their arms L', and the rock arm or bar M may bedispensed with, and the camhead N,journaled on lever H, will act in acam-groove in post A, curving downward toward the side from which thegate is to open.

Havingthus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patentl. An automatic gate comprising the gate proper, providedwith a swing-post, A, having axial support at its upper end from thehinge-post B, and at itslower end in one of a system of levers pivotedin the gate-sills, and said post A provided with an inclined or camgroove, a platform or platforms adapted to be depressed and resting onthe levers, and ahead, N, held to one ofthe levers and adapted to thecani-groove in post A, substantially as shown and described, whereby thegate maybe lifted and opened by depressing the platform, and will swingshut by gravity, as set forth.

2. An automatic gate comprising the gate proper, provided with aswing-post, A, having axial support at its upper end from the hinge-postB, and at its lower end in one of a system of levers pivoted in thegate-sills, and said post- A provided with an inclined or cam groove, aplatlbrnnor platforms adapted to be depressed and resting on the levers,a head, N, held to one of the levers and adapted to the cam-groove inpost A, substantially as shown and described, whereby the gate may belifted and opened by depressing the platform, and will close by gravity,and said platform or platforms arranged to yield or fall first at oneend, in combination with a device, substantially as described, forlatching the gate, and connected to the platform so as to be unlatchedas the platform falls at that end, substantially as herein set forth. v

3. An automatic gate comprising the gate proper, provided with aswing-post, A, having axial support at its upper end from the hinge-postB, and at its lower end in one of a system of levers pivoted in thegate-sills, and said post provided with an inclined or cam groove, aplatform or platforms adapted to be depressed and resting on the levers,a head, N, held to one of the levers and adapted to the cani-groove inpost A, substantially as described, whereby the gate may be lifted andopened by depressing the platform, and a locking device, substantiallyas described, on the hinge-post B, and adapted to prevent the liftingand opening of the gate, substantially as herein set forth.

4. In an automatic gate, the combination, with the gate proper, its postA, provided with a double-inclined cani-groove, O, and the hinge-post B,of the levers D H, pivoted in the gate-sills, hinged platforms I I,resting on the levers. springs J, normally supporting the ends i ot' theplatforms, so said ends trst will yield to pressure-levers L L, pivotedto lever I-I, a head, N, journaled by its shaft in on lever H, andadapted to the slot O of post A, a rock-arm, M, on shaft m, bars orplates L L', connecting arm M with levers L L, and pins P P at the iirstyielding ends of the platforms, and adapted to tilt levers L L, arm M,and head N as the platform is depressed, substantially as herein setforth.

5. The double gate-platforms I I, held to the sill-frame at their outerends or sides, plates or straps K K, lapping the joint between theopposite platforms, I I, to mutually support them at one end and causetheir depression in unison at that end, and springs J under eachplatform at their ends t', to allow this end of each platform first toyield under pressure, in combination with a system of levers pivoted inthe gate-sills and supporting the platforms yieldingly, and a head, N,on one of the levers, and acting in a camslot in the gate-post to swingthe gate as it is lifted by the levers, substantially as herein Setforth.

IIO

6. In automatic gutes, the gute proper, its platforms supported on asystem 0f levers post A, having a umn-groove, :L plntl'orm or platformssupported on u. system of levers lluving iL head, N, adapted to theemu-groove of posh A, und one end, i', of said plntl'orrns urrunged toyield first to pressure, in combination with u latch device consisting`ol' u latchbar, T, and an unlutehiuglever, S, :1nd n eon neebion, as atR, netween lever S and theplntforni, substantially :1s herein set forth.

7. In automatic gutes, the gue proper, its post A, having a eem-groove,u pl-ili'orm or l l l having u head, N, adapted to the cam-groove ol"posh A,- :Lnd sud parts @Gaming to raise und open the gate ns theplatforms are depressed, in combination with a look device Consisting ofu lock-bur, U, and un unlockinglever, V, said hor U adapted to :L studon the gate-post A, substantially as herein seb forth.

JOHN CLARK. Vilnesses:

THFODORE FORTINER, KENNETH MoLEoD.

